Ventricular dilation (also referred to as ventricular dilatation) is a condition wherein the wall of the heart muscle thins and/or expands as compared to a healthy heart. For a variety of reasons, a dilated ventricle often exhibits a reduced ability to pump blood. As a result, this condition typically increases the load on the heart while decreasing cardiac efficiency. One reason for the increased load on the heart is that blood is pumped in a direction other than directly towards the heart valve (e.g., aortic valve). Another reason for the increased load on the heart is that the enlarged ventricle can negatively affect the operation of one or more heart valves. More particularly, if the leaflets of a heart valve are not aligned properly due to an enlarged valve annulus, the leaflets may not close tightly. Incomplete leaflet closure leads to regurgitation of blood through the valve.
In recent years, it has been discovered that ventricular dilation is a relatively common condition in elderly people that contributes to fatigue when performing physical activities such as walking. Unfortunately, in many cases, patients having this condition lead very limited lives. Due to the prevalence of this condition, a number of treatments have been proposed for treating ventricular dilation.
Certain proposed treatments utilize external supports, such as sacs or wraps, which are configured to be placed around the exterior of the heart to shore up the ventricular walls in an effort to improve its pumping efficiency. Other treatments involve surgically remodeling the ventricle by removing a portion of the muscular wall. Still other treatments involve pharmacological treatments, such as diuretics, and mechanical pumps for reducing the load on the heart by assisting with the pumping function which is normally performed by the heart. Although many of these treatments have been studied extensively, none of these treatments has met with great success. Furthermore, many of these treatments are highly invasive and may not be appropriate for patients that are already in a weakened cardiac condition. In fact, many believe that the risks of the existing procedures outweigh the potential benefits. As a result, the growing patient population afflicted with this condition is not being adequately treated. Therefore, an urgent need exists for a less invasive and more effective technique for treating ventricular dilation.